Spring-wheel.



O. J. DEAN.

SPRING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 17, 1911.

Patented Sept 17, 1912.

cameras .1. DEAN, or BLAsnnLn, new YORK.

SPRING-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 17,1912.

Application filed November 17, 1911. Serial No. 660,757.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Cnannns J. DEAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Blasdell, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Wheels, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in spring vehicle wheels, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a comparatively simple, exceedingly strong and very durable wheel of this character in which the outer or tread rim will be so mounted and supported with respect to the inner portion of the wheel that it may move freely and easily under spring tension in a radial direction, and also in a limited degree circumferentially of said inner portion to prevent binding.

The invention also'relates to, certain details of construction which will be herein after described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation partially in longitudinal section of the improved wheel. Fig. 2 is an enlarged radial section on line a a Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged radial section on line l) b Fig. 1, a fragment of one of the spokes also being shown in side elevation. Fig. 4 is a detached fragment of the recessed felly band.

In referring to the drawings in detail, like numerals designate like parts.

This improved spring wheel briefly consists of a hub 1, a series of spokes 2 arranged at equal intervals around, and extending radially out from thehub 1, a felly 3 arranged concentric with the hub to which the outer ends of the spokes are fastened, a recessed folly band surrounding the folly, an outer tread rim and a series of springtensioning devices mounted in the felly between the spokes and containing springs, the outer ends of which bear against the inner surface of the tread rim.

The felly is preferably constructed of wood and is provided with a series of radially extending circular openings arranged at equal intervals around its circumference, and an equal number of recesses or pockets on its exterior surface which are also ar ranged at equal intervals around the circumference, and are located in alternate order with respect to the circular openings. The pockets or recesses are preferably located directly in front of the outer ends of the spokes, as shown in Fig. 1, and are equal in number to said spokes and extend completely through the felly from side to side thereof.

A metal felly band 4 is fitted firmly and rigidly around the felly and is provided with a series of countersunk openings 5 which register with.the circular openings in the felly, and a series of recesses or pockets around the felly, and is sufliciently large to provide anannular space between itself and the surface of the felly, as shown in Fig. 1. The outer tread rim 8 is provided with a series of inwardly extending radial projections 9 which are equal in number,

and extend loosely within the pockets or recesses in. the felly, and serve to prevent the rim turning independently of the .felly, while at the same time permitting a certain limited range of circumferential movement to prevent binding. This is due to the fact that the pockets or recesses are made slightly longer than the projections 9 are wide.

In this improved wheel the hub, spokes and felly are of a rigid and unyielding character and the inequalitiesin the ground over which the wheel travels are taken up by the yieldingly mounted outer tread rim.

A series of tubular'containers 10 are arranged in the circular openings in the felly and are each provided with a flange 11 at their outer ends to fit in the countersunk portion of said opening. Each of these tubular containers is formed substantially as shown in Fig. 2 and has its inner end closed by a head or cap 12 which is provided with a central screw-threaded opening in which an adjusting bolt 13 is mounted. The adjusting bolt is provided with a (f aming end 14 of the square or equivalent f rm, and a lock nut 15, and a disk 16 of circular form is arranged within the tubular container and in operation contacts with the. polt 13. The outer tread rim is yieldingl mainmay have its inner end telesco ed within the container and its outer en closed by a flange cap 19 which bears against the inner surface of the tread rim, as shown in Fig. :2.

To prevent the lateral movement of the outer tread rim with respect to the retendin throng the felly at points between the mainder of the wheel, side-flanges or face plates 20 are bolted to the opposite sides of the felly by a series of transversely exbolts-21 which are fitted at intervals tubular containers and the spoke and the outer tread rim is provided with inwardly i In a wheel of the class described, a felly extending side flanges 22 whichlap within the outer flange portions of the face plates 20, asshown in Fig. 3.

The pockets are considerably longer in the Circumferential direction of the wheel Y than' the projections 9 are thick, thereby permitting sufficient longitudinal movement of the projections 9 in the pockets to revent bmdin Transversely the poo *ets extend comp etely through the outer tread rim from'side to side so that the outer tread. rim can be quickly slipped on 01" removed from the felly when one of the face plates 20 is removed. It will be noted by referring to Fig. 1 that the ockets are in radial'alinement with the spo es and are in fact located outside of the outer ends of the spokes.

This immensely strengthens the structure as any abnormal strain upon the outer tread rim forcing the pro'ections9 into the bottom of the pockets will transmitted in a direct- -longitudinal line against the spokes instead of at angles to the spokes.

In this improved construction the tubular containers, for the springs are located in the felly between the spokes and have their inner ends projecting throu h the felly and extending a consider-a le constructionis that containers of considerdistance within the felly. The advantage of this able length may be used, thus permitting fairl long springs which support the outer tread rim so that it may yield freely and easily when in action. In this improved wheel the spokes and felly are preferably constructed of wood and the hub, recessed felly band and the outer tread rim and tubular spring contain ers of suitable metal. While the outer tread} rim is shown in the accompanying drawings\ as constructed of metal, itis obvious thati it may be rovided with an outer tread surface of ru her or other. suitable material if it is so desired.

The chief advantages of this improved construction reside in the simple and strong means employed to prevent independent circumferential movement of the outer tread f rim, in the arrangement of the tubular f spring containers between the pockets, and in the general simplicity of the outer porf tion of the wheel. I claim:

iprovided with a series of exterior pockets ;which extend transversely and completely through the outer portion of the felly from side to side thereof and a series of openings the pockets which extend completely through the felly in a radial direction, an ?exterior tread rim loosely encircling the Zfell and having a series of inwardly ex- Eten ing projections, which fit .loosely in the {exterior pockets, a metal felly band fitted irigidly around the felly and having comiplementary exterior pockets and radial g'openings, face plates attached to opposite jsides of the felly and projecting on opposite sides of the tread rim, and a series :of springs and spring-tensioning devices imounted in the radial openings and conlstructed and arranged to yieldingly suport the outer treadrim with respect to said @fblly; said 'outer tread rim being adapted to be removed transversely from the felly .u on the detachment of one of the face j plhtes.

CHARLES J. DEAN.

VVi-tnesses:

KATHERINE I. MITCHELL,

CARL SCHRAMM.-

arranged at intervals and located between 

